Happy Sunday from a CHILLY Chiang Mai. I’m up here for the month of January and man, is it ever a change from Bangkok. The first thing I noticed were the prices on food. As far as international options go, I’d say it’s a good 30% cheaper than the Big Mango. Definitely a nice little change up for the month. Anyways - hope you all have a great week ahead and I’m looking forward to meeting some of you next weekend at our Chiang Mai meetup (more details on that below). Cheers!
80 Million Tourists Per Year?
This past Thursday, Thailand Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, announced a five-year goal to generate annual tourism revenue of 5 trillion baht (USD $152 billion) driven by 80 million yearly arrivals by 2027. This would be nearly three times the 1.93 trillion baht (USD $62.5 billion) generated by the 38 million tourists that arrived in 2019. Short-term, the Kingdom aims to welcome at least 25 million foreign tourists throughout 2023, which would help the sector recover to 60% of pre-pandemic levels as far as actual arrivals go, while total tourism related revenue is forecasted at 2.4 trillion baht (USD $78 billion), or 80% of pre-Covid-19 levels, largely driven by the arrival of tourists from China following the lifting of travel restrictions last week. Phiphat stated that in order to meet this goal, tourism officials will work closely with the Labour Ministry to improve the skills and size of the tourism workforce, as well as enhancing security and safety measures to accommodate the large influx of foreign visitors.
Our Take
Wowzers. 80 Million Thailand tourists. Could you imagine what that would feel like in each of the major markets here? Based on 2019 stats, that would put Thailand as the third most visited country on Earth just behind France and Spain. I can’t say that I’d be the biggest fan of just how busy this would make places like Bangkok, Phuket, or Chiang Mai feel, but at the end of the day, who am I to say anything!
Casino Complex Pushing Ahead
Thailand’s House of Representatives have approved a report on the proposal to establish a special casino-entertainment zone, with areas within a 100 KM radius of Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao Airports being suitable locations for such a project. The report, which took 240 days to complete, was discussed in a three-hour house meeting this past week. What followed was a 310-9 vote in favour of considering the economic value that an entertainment complex with casino could bring to the Thai economy. It’s worth noting that this doesn’t mean that casinos are now approved in Thailand. Instead, think of it as a completed step as part of a multi-step process. One MP emphasized that if casinos were to be built, the positive and negative impacts must be thoroughly assessed, and ultimately, the final decision will probably be made by the next government.
Our Take
I’ll be very curious to see how this continues to play out. I’m a fan of the idea. To have a casino complex with hotels, entertainment venues, restaurants, etc. somewhere in the Bangkok area seems pretty cool to me. I’m not a gambler and have only ever been to a casino once in my life, but I think it would be a major benefit as far as raising tax dollars and creating jobs go. Based on the report that I read, it seems like most of the MP’s are on the same page when it comes to potential benefits, but what needs to be sorted out is preventing the money laundering that often comes in the casino space.
We’re Having a Meet Up In Chiang Mai And YOU’RE Invited!
As many of you may have seen (or perhaps even been too), Chris and I love to throw the odd subscriber party. With the last two being hosted in Bangkok, we figured it was time to show Chiang Mai some love and throw it down up here. Not only are these events an amazing way to connect with a ton of super cool Thailand Lovers, but they’re also proper parties and involve good people, cold drinks, and awesome tunes. Consider this your official invitation! The first 100 beers are on us, so make sure to get there early and stay late… details below!
Key Details:
Date: January 21st @ 7pm (until late)
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/VYXV5oHDm5gosqD19
First Group Of Chinese Tourists Welcomed By Top Thai Officials
On the heels of China opening up on January 8th, 269 Chinese tourists were welcomed by three of Thailand’s most senior officials, including the Public Health Minister, Transport Minister, and Tourism & Sports Minister at Suvarnabhumi airport this past week. The lucky visitors were given orchid garlands, souvenirs, and tourist information booklets in Chinese. The warm welcome also included a banner which read “Chinese-Thais come from the same family. Amazing Thailand will always warmly welcome Chinese people”. During the first quarter of 2023, TAT expects around 300,000 Chinese tourists to arrive, with around 60,000 in January, 90,000 in February and 150,000 in March. Tourism officials are forecasting around 5 million Chinese visitors over the course of 2023.
Our Take
The extra warm reception from Thailand is no surprise here. Everyone knows just how crucial Chinese visitors are to the Thai economy, so why not roll out the red carpet for that first group back and make ‘em feel special. Fair play. On a bit of a different note, Bangkok is about to get packed during the Chinese New Year. I was talking with a cab driver the other day and he was joking that he needs to brush up on his Mandarin! On a less friendly, but similar note, I had some friends try and rent a couple of 125cc scooters in Chiang Mai, but the owner wanted to charge them 600 baht per day (which is really pricey here in Thailand). My pals responded with it being all good and that they’ll just rent somewhere else. The shop owner responded with “good, Chinese tourists are coming back next week and will rent at that price anyways”. I don’t blame the shop or anything, but it just illustrates the fact that with people from ALL countries now back in Thailand, things are pricey again…
Only In Thailand 🇹🇭
House book please! Well that’s a question that one 38-year-old Thai man might have some trouble answering… also known as Charlie, the Isaan native has been living in a tree for three years now. Constructed with a roofless wooden platform, ropes, and some plastic sheets, the informal home is located 10 meters off the ground in Udon Thani province. Charlie stated that he goes to work when he can find a job, but goes to the temple for food when he is unable to find work. Recently, photos of Charlie's tree house were shared on Facebook and people are calling for aid in the form of a mosquito net, solar light, dry food, mosquito repellent, house registration, and a job. Charlie has refused to move from his tree house and has requested a stable job so that he does not have to be a burden on the government or any individual. Man, do I ever feel bad for Charlie. Talk about a tough place to get a good nights sleep…